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(1 edit) (+2)

This was a really great game, with only a few small gripes! Also, SPOILERS ahead.

For a start, it was amazingly written, and even more so for the short development time (1 month?!) - that takes serious skill. It was incredibly immersive, and the twists and turns and the emotions that came with them were brilliant. I personally love games that allow you to kick ass without having to worry that you don't have a high enough score in whatever stat to do the action you want - I don't want to have to fuss over stats when I'm enjoying the fight, and this game was great for that. Plus the fights were pretty epic - made the MC feel like a total badass. Also, the characters were interesting, and again it's another testament to the writer's skill that he managed to get us to actually care about them in such a short time. And lastly, THANK YOU for the save slots. That's one of the things I hate most about 'Choice Of' games verses Twine (and why I'm glad you made an exception for your game) - I like to be able to save where I want to, and if that means re-loading after a bad decision, why shouldn't I? I'd prefer to have the freedom of crafting my own immersive experience, and not have to start again if I feck it up or feel dissatisfied. So yeah, thanks!

Now for what was a little lacking. Basically, the relationships and the ending (well, the one I got). The relationships weren't bad per se, but they did feel way too 'sudden'; it would have been nice to have at least one scene (possibly two, even for a short story like this) where we could really spend some time with the character we were interested in and build the sort of rapport that would make sense when MC told whichever one that he/she was interested in them romantically. That being said, I did like what it had, I just wish there was a little MORE of that.

And the ending I got, well, I get the idea of the romanticism of sacrifice to keep the west free (and love it) -- I played the ending where we made a stand against the Sabbat, without the Camarilla, and was romancing Boone as a male MC -- BUT I was bummed that we couldn't have a nice, cliche moment in the epilogue where MC and Boone ride off into the moonlight together (and in that moment find that, surprise! Boone didn't die after all), in their still-free west. It sucked that I had to lose Boone like that, it really did. Was there any way to have a somewhat happy romantic ending with Boone?

Again though, overall this was a really great story. It really made me yearn for some genuine western IFs (the romanticism and freedom of the west and making a stand for keeping it that way), or more along the lines of this. I'm really hoping the author makes some more IF's, maybe one that's a bit longer next time? :)

(+1)

Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful response. I think your right about a lot of your improvements--I wish I'd had you around to playtest while I was developing! TIN STAR on Hosted Games (?) is a good IF western, if you're looking for one. I also have a WiP on their forum called NOT YOUR MOTHER'S SHIRE, if you're into comedy and/or fantasy. Cheers! And thank you again. 

Oh damn! You wrote Not Your Mother's Shire?! Yes, I've played it - great game! Also, Tin Star is one of my all-time favourite IF games. I don't know what it is about Westerns that appeals to me so much (other then the fact that I grew up watching them and there's the nostalgia factor). Maybe the feeling of ultimate freedom? The adventures under wide open skies? A less complicated life? I'm always drawn to them.
Anyway, I really hope to see more IFs from you in future, regardless of genre. Your writing style really works for me. :)